What would you do for him?
by nursepower
Summary: Howard Epps has escaped. What happens when he sets his sights on Brennan and uses Booth for leverage? My first Bones fic. Please be gentle!
1. Chapter 1

BONES What would you do for him? 

"Bones, you're not going to believe this. I just got a call that Howard Epps blew himself up", Special Agent Seeley Booth walked right up to the platform interrupting the Forensic Anthropologists current assignment of a War Veteran.

She put down the skull she was currently trying to piece together and looked at him in shock.

"You're kidding!"

"Would I really joke about something like that? C'mon we gotta go to the prison", he stated hands on hips ready to roll.

Ten minutes later the duo was in Booth's job issued SUV.

"This doesn't make sense, Booth. After everything he put us through to get a stay of execution to have it all end by blowing himself up", Brennan was completely flabbergasted.

"Is there a question in there somewhere?" The agent smirked at her from the driver's seat, to which she merely rolled her eyes.

"It doesn't have to make sense Bones. He's a certified sociopath."

"Even so, why would he do that?"

"Do I hear you actually talking psychology?"

"You know I don't believe in that. I'm just trying to point out that it is not a rational thing for him to do."

"We'll soon find out. We're here", Booth stated pulling up to the security gate, showing his badge and getting buzzed through. He found a spot near the staff entrance and he and Temperance made their way into the building.

The Warden was waiting at the door to escort them to Epps's cell.

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, this way please", he said curtly in acknowledgement, leading them down the hall. Four locked doors and about 25 guards later they were buzzed into death row. They could tell right away which cell was Epps's based on the charred marks on the wall surrounding his cell.

Bones was already pulling on a pair of gloves as they arrived at the cell, a burnt corpse resting on the charred metal cot, with a flimsy 1-inch mattress. There was water on the floor from where the fire department had obviously doused the flames down. Brennan passed her bag to Booth as she entered the cell not wanting to set it on the ground. As Temp walked closer she already knew something was wrong.

"Hey Booth? This isn't Epps".

"What? Of course it is!" the warden was upset.

"What do you mean?" Booth asked trying to stay calm.

Bones stood up, pulling her gloves off.

"Last time we saw him, I broke his hand. I see no evidence of that injury here. This person is older and shorter that Epps is and has a crushed larynx, which would not have happened from being blown up. That injury is more consistent with being strangled. I'll have the bones sent to the lab for analysis but I can tell you with 100 certainty that this victim is not him."

"Warden?" A deputy came rushing to the trio. "We did a full count of staff and inmates and can't locate Evans".

"Who's Evans?" Bones interjected.

"He's a rookie, been on the job just a few weeks", the Warden answered her.

"I think we may have found him", Booth stated referring to the body in Epps's cell. He pulled out his phone and hit a speed dial number, then started walking briskly out of the prison. Bones struggled to keep up since he was going so fast. Once they were outside, Booth started talking on the phone.

"This is Booth. We need a 50-mile perimeter with full roadblocks set up NOW! The person you're looking for his Howard Epps. Look him up in the database for a full bio and description. I want search dogs, helicopters, the whole thing. We have to get this guy before he starts killing again. He's probably wearing a guards uniform as well."

Booth shut his phone and tossed it carelessly onto the dashboard.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed, smacking the steering wheel in frustration.

"Relax Booth, we'll catch him", Brennan tried to reassure from the passenger side.

"I never should have gotten his execution stayed. If I had just not looked into the case…"

"Then you would have two families with no closure and a weight on your shoulders wondering "what if". You can't blame your self Seeley", Bones cut him off mid sentence.

Booth was taken aback. "Since when do you use my first name?"

"When I'm trying to be more understanding, or more feeling, I'm not sure how to describe it. Angela said I should be more personal with people when they need comfort. That's the word. I'm trying to be more comforting."

"Thank you Bones. Really. I know it's not in your nature, but I feel better just knowing what you are trying to do". He smiled at her, pulling the car in front of the Jeffersonian.

"Are you coming in?" she asked, grabbing her stuff.

"No. I'm going to go help with the search. I'd take you, but I'm sure you'd just be bored. All we'll be doing is looking."

"Okay. Booth…be careful", Temperance shut the door to the SUV and walked into the building. She could feel Booth's eyes on her the whole time until she was safe inside.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was near midnight when Temperance arrived at her apartment for the night. She had successfully identified her War Victim and had received numerous calls from Booth throughout the day updating her of the search progress. Bones was exhausted and couldn't wait to just crawl onto her bed and sleep. She wasn't even going to change her clothes. She arrived to her floor of the apartment building, pulling her keys out of her bag as she walked. Inserting her keys in the door, she was either too tired or just plain didn't notice that she wasn't alone anymore. She was completely shocked when a strong hand grabs her around the waist and another snakes over her face with a wet cloth. She knew it was doused in chloroform, she'd smelt it many times before.

That didn't mean she wouldn't fight. Her keys were instantly forgotten left in the door handle, her bag slipped from her shoulder to the floor. She used every move she knew from martial arts trying to get away, but he was expecting each and every one of them. She'd even managed to knock over a vase of flowers in the hall, but could not get out of the man's grasp. She could feel the chloroform taking effect as her mind faded out. She knew he had her and was probably going to kill her and she refused to let him get away with it so in her last effort, she scratched hard into his arms, pulling skin and blood under her fingernails. If she was going to die, she was damn well going to take his DNA with her.

Brennan didn't know how long she was out, but woke with a crick in her neck and unable to move. She knew she was tied to a chair, her arms tied behind her with some sort of soft material, probably a scarf. She pulled at it and tried to twist her hands so she could reach the knots, but could not. Her mouth was gagged with a bandana stuck between her teeth and tied tightly behind her head and finally her feet were also bound to the chair. She raised her head from its slumped position and rolled her neck hearing it crack in protest. She could see light filtering through a window really high up and knew it must be daytime. She looked around seeing herself in what appeared to be a studio apartment sparsely decorated. It was a very large open space with a bed and dressers to one side, a bathroom next to it and a kitchen on the opposite end. The living room or what she assumed was the living room was smack dab in the middle, which is where she was currently situated. There wasn't much to the living area, a couch behind her and a coffee table to the right and in front of her. There was no TV and no clock that she could find. She couldn't even tell if it was morning or afternoon. She didn't know who had taken her and she appeared to be alone. She looked around for a phone, which wasn't here, but even if it was, she couldn't possibly get to it. All she could do was sit there and wait to see if anyone would find her or if the anonymous abductor was going to come back.

**BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES **

Angela Montenegro was in the elevator on her way to Brennan's house. They were going to go out for breakfast before heading into to do some work on this sunny Saturday.

When the doors opened and she stepped into the hall, Angela covered her mouth in shock. She could see Temps bag on the floor and the keys in the door as well as the broken vase. She knew her friend was gone. She saw her cell phone barely sticking out of the overturned purse and grabbed it up, immediately finding the phone book; she found Booth's number. Angela had called him before but only from her phone at work where she had the number written down.

"Morning Bones", she heard his cheery voice say.

"Booth, its Ang. I'm at Temps place and something is really wrong."

"Whoa…slow down Angela. What do you mean by something is really wrong?" the agent queried, immediately turning his SUV around, speeding towards Bone's apartment complex.

"I mean something's happened to her. Her purse is on the floor outside her apartment. Her keys are still in the doorknob and there is a broken vase in the hallway. It looks like she's been abducted". Angela started to hyperventilate.

"I'm on my way. Don't touch a thing. Sit down and try to slow your breathing. I'll be there in 5".

Angela heard the click of the phone turn off and sat on the floor leaning against the wall, her mind racing with possibilities of what could have happened to her friend.

Booth must have broken every speed limit law because he was there in 3 minutes not 5. He came running up the stairs instead of the elevator and took in the scene. It was then that he called for a team to come and dust for prints, although he already had an idea who was behind this.

"You okay?" he asked Angela watching as she stood on shaky legs.

"Yes and no. My best friend is missing, but I'm okay".

"Alright. Let's go in and see if he left anything for us".

"Who?"

"Epps", Booth replied, entering Bone's apartment. He and Angela looked around and found nothing out of place.

"There's nothing here Booth."

"There has to be. That's the way he is. He knows I'll be here and so he's going to leave me some clue as to how I can get to him and Bone's. C'mon…where are you?" he said to no one in particular.

Booth was just about to give up when he saw the red light on the answering machine. Taking a deep breath and pushing play he waited for the voice he longed to hate.

"Good Morning Special Agent Seeley Booth. Not so special now are you? I got your partner, as I'm sure you've figured out by now. What happens next is up to you. I almost died because of you and now you are going to suffer as much as I have. The beautiful Doctor Brennan is waiting for you to come join the party. Take the keys from Dr. Brennan's door and get in her car. Go to the Lincoln Memorial. Under the statue you will find your next instructions. Don't try anything and come alone. I'll keep the doctor entertained while we wait for you."

"Oh my God", Angela cried out.

Booth was already on his way out the door.

"Booth you can't go alone. It's a trap".

"I have to. He will kill her if I don't. Stay here and wait for the team, then go back to the lab. I will check in when I can."

**BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES**

Bones heard the door to the apartment opening and was not surprised to see Howard Epps walk through. He had a sickeningly sweet smile on his face and looked at her like he cared. He came in and sat on the coffee table pulling her chair towards him. She cringed hearing the scrape of the chair against the uncarpeted floor.

"Hello Temperance. It's nice to see you again."

She mumbled a "Go to hell" through her gag.

"Oh come on now. That's no way for a lady to talk. I don't want to hurt you, so you can relax", he coaxed her brushing some hair back from her face. She jerked her face away from his touch.

"Dr. Brennan, we are going to get to know each other a lot better soon, so it'd be advisable for you to be civil. Now I just left a message sending Agent Booth on the scavenger hunt to find us. It should take him about two hours to get here. I apologize that in the mean time I don't have much for you to do. We can talk if you'd like, but you have to promise to be good."

Temperance wanted more than anything to get that gag out of her mouth so she nodded her agreement to behave. Epps pulled the bandana out of her mouth and let it hang loosely around her neck in case he needed it again.

"Water, please", she croaked out from the dryness in her mouth.

"Of course! Where are my manners". She watched as Epps pulled a bottle of water out of a bag he had brought in with him. He unscrewed the top and held it to her lips. Temperance drank the best she could, considering someone else was maneuvering the bottle.

"Thank you", she said after finishing. She figured her best bet was to kill with kindness or at least keep the gag out of her mouth if she didn't piss him off.

"You're Welcome", he said, surprised at her acceptance of the current situation. "I'm sorry I used you like that to help me get a stay of execution, but I had no other choice. I wasn't ready to die yet. I still had some things I wanted to do."

"Like what?" she questioned to keep him talking.

"Like making Agent Booth pay for what he did."

"What did he do that was so wrong?"

"He testified against me and got me sent to death row!" he exclaimed angry.

"I don't understand. You did commit those murders. How is it his fault that you are in your current situation?"

"It's his fault because had he not testified, I'd just have gotten life in prison, but no he had to see to it that I had a needle in my arm. I begged him not to testify and he was young and cocky and just smirked at me like I was the lowest scum on the earth. I regret that I have to use you to get my revenge. I wish it didn't turn out to be you after all you've done to help me. But alas, you were his choice and not mine."

"What do you mean?"

"You're not only his partner, but someone he loves and I'm going to use you to hurt him like I've been hurt. Like I said, it's not my fault that he fell in love with you. Had it been someone else you wouldn't be here right now".

"Booth does not love me. We just work together. I'm afraid you've made a mistake." Brennan was trying her hardest to talk her way out of the situation.

"Oh no…he loves you and you love him and today we will prove it and then we will crush him".

"I don't want to crush him. He is a good guy. He doesn't deserve this. Please let us go". Temperance had never sounded so desperate in her entire 30 years.

"Yup, I didn't make a mistake. You two are both in love but too wrapped up in yourselves to see it."

**BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES**

Booth had taken Temps car and arrived at the Lincoln Memorial. He parked haphazardly as close as he could and ran to the statue. He found a note underneath telling him to take the blue line to Springfield. He couldn't help but think that Bone's was going to chew him out if anything happened to her car.

**BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES BONES**

"You keep saying you are going to use me to hurt him, get your revenge, but you also said you are not going to hurt me. The words are contradictory."

"I said I didn't want to hurt you. Doesn't mean you won't be hurt, just that I don't want to do it to you. But as I've said already, you were not my choice. You were his."

"What are you going to do to us? You going to kill us?" Brennan wasn't sure why she would want to know ahead of time, but for some reason wanted an answer.

"No. I'm not going to kill either one of you, unless I'm forced too. I have planned for Agent Booth a fate worse than death. He'll wish he were dead while it's happening, that I can assure you. But don't worry. When it's all over and the whole event is stuck in his mind, I plan to take myself out, so justice will be served after all for both he and I. Relax Doctor Brennan. This will all be over soon."

"I can't relax when I'm uncertain as to my future. What exactly are you going to do to hurt him?"

"I have to go make a phone call so we'll have to resume our chat later", he told her moving the gag back into her mouth. She protested as much as she could before the gag was finally back in her mouth and everything came out in garbled moans. She watched him walk to the front door and open it before turning back.

"By the way, Dr. Brennan, have you ever been raped?"

Temperance felt the hot tears spring into her eyes as he closed the door behind him. One of her worst fears was going to come true. She was going to be raped by this psychopath and Booth would probably have to witness it. What was she going to do? There had to be an escape. There always was before. Booth had always saved her in the nick of time, but who now would save the both of them?


	3. Chapter 3

Booth was still on the train nearing the Springfield stop when a random kid came and sat next to him.

"Excuse me, sir. Are you Agent Booth?"

"Yes", he said to the teenager.

"This is for you", the kid said handing him an envelope. Booth immediately tore it open and inside found a note.

Leave the metro and turn right. Pay phone number two will ring at 11:00.

"Where did you get this?" Seeley questioned the kid who had yet to move.

"Some guy gave me $50 at the last station to hand it to you."

"What did he look like?"

"I don't remember much. We were in a rush. He was white, about 6'2" and had a goatee and baseball hat on".

"Alright. Listen I need to get your name and number in case we have any more questions. I work for the FBI", Booth finished and showed his badge. The kid gladly gave over his information thinking he was cool now that the FBI might need him.

The metro car pulled into the Springfield station and Booth immediately sought out the pay phones. He glanced at his watch noticing it was just 10:55. Epps must have had the timing to a tee. Precisely 5 minutes later, the phone rang and Booth picked it up without saying anything.

"Oh Seeeeley" the voice taunted him.

"Yeah?" was the curt response.

"Aww…that's no way to talk to a friend".

"You're not my friend, what did you do with Dr. Brennan?"

"Oh she's okay…for now. She's quite the conversationalist which I'm sure you know."

"Don't you dare touch her", Booth threatened on his end.

"I don't believe you are in any position to tell me what to do Agent Booth. Now start walking. When you've walked far enough you will be picked up. Now if you'll excuse me I must get back to my guest."

Epps disconnected the call and Booth started his trek.

Dr. Brennan had lowered her head in defeat. Epps had left her with her thoughts and her over imaginative brain had conjured up the worst images. She sometimes wished she wasn't as smart as she was. What she wouldn't give right now to shut off her brain and just be idle. In her scientific mind she had rationalized the idea of Epps raping her. He was the typical sociopath, who felt the need to be the alpha male up against Booth and as such would use her body, which he seemed to think would make Booth hurt emotionally. She wondered if it really would hurt Booth. She knew herself that she could disassociate from the situation as it happened. She had to admit she would feel shame if Booth was forced to watch. She would be proved to be weak and not able to care for herself and the last thing she wanted was for Booth to view her as weak. And then she started wondering why she cares what Booth thinks of her. She never cared before what others thought of her, so why now? Why Booth? Was Angela right and there really was something there? She should not feel shame and humiliation should Booth be forced to witness the act, and then she had a total irrational thought as to if Booth would like what she looked like beneath her clothes. Then she had to rationalize with herself that even though the thought was completely off topic and not relevant that it was only logical in the stress of the situation to have illogical thoughts. And finally her thoughts brought her back to the beginning where she was wishing she could turn off her brain for a moment's peace.

She was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of keys in the front door. She watched as Epps entered alone and then re-locked the door from the inside. Apparently you had to have a key to get in or out and Epps was keeping the key on his person. She had to remember that should her and Booth get away.

"I'm sorry if I don't talk to you for awhile. I have to set up for Agent Booths arrival", Epps told her and all she could do was watch. She saw him pull up another metal chair and set it about 10 feet away from the bed. She noticed there were 3 hooks in the floor, two in front of the chair and one in the middle behind it. Epps took leg irons and fastened one to each of the hooks in front and then attached another chain to the one in the back, testing to make sure it would only go up as high as the seat of the metal folding chair. He then pulled down the bedspread on the bed as if getting ready for a child to enter it and be tucked in. He went to the bathroom and brought out a wrapped box that he set on one of the pillows as a present. The next part made her shiver as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a foil wrapper, placing it on the remaining pillow. She wondered how he was going to pin her down. Did he not think she would fight back? He was definitely underestimating her. She was half tempted to ask, but then figured it would be stupid on her part and she was actually thankful for the gag, so she didn't put herself in further danger. Last she watched as he readied his gun. He pulled a box of bullets from one of the drawers and the gun from another. She watched him open the barrel and carefully slide 6 bullets in one at a time, agonizingly slow. If he thought he could use his mind games to scare her, he was definitely wrong. If she could just get out of the binds she knew she could take him.

Booth had been walking down the streets of Springfield for a good 45 minutes by now and was getting pretty aggravated at this cat and mouse game. When he got to Epps he vowed that bastard would pay. He wouldn't have to wait for the execution to be reset; Booth would gladly take care of that right now and not feel one twinge of guilt. He blamed himself for Bone's abduction. He should have known Epps would target her. For some stupid reason he had allowed himself to listen to the higher ups that Epps first priority would be getting out of the area. Apparently they were wrong. His first priority was getting his sick, twisted, revenge. Booth realized it'd been awhile since he had updated anyone and pulled out his cell to make a call. It was then that he heard a blip of a siren right behind him, trying to get his attention. He turned and saw two officers in a car. The driver, who's name tag read "Tony", was a large well built black man, with a shaved head and a no nonsense attitude on his face. The second was a tall, lean, white man, with little hair and a moustache. His tag ID'd him as "Williams". Neither could be more than 35 at most and neither he recognized.

"Can I help you?" he asked when they rolled the windows down.

"You Agent Booth?" Williams asked.

"Who wants to know?" the agent was more than cautious.

"Epps. He's got your girl. It's your choice. Either get in and we'll take you there or stay out here and lose her. Up to you, but we ain't chasin' nobody".

Booth found himself opening the back door and climbing in the patrol car with these two unknowns. Were they crooked cops or did they just steal a vehicle? He needed to know just what he was dealing with. Before he had a chance to ask the cruiser pulled into an abandoned alley. The door would not open from the inside, which Booth should have suspected. He watched as "Tony" got out and went to the trunk of the car, pulling out a box, while "Williams" opened his door for him. The box was placed on the closed trunk and "Tony" ordered Booth to strip.

"Do what?" Booth asked in shock.

"Look, we got clothes for ya in this box. Our instructions are to have you take off the suit to be sure you don't have any tracking devices and put on the clothes in here. I'm sure these jeans and shirt are a lot more comfortable anyway."

Booth began the task of unbuttoning his work shirt. When he was down to his wife beater he talked. "Can I leave this on?"

"I have no problem. What do you think Williams?"

"No problem with me", the officer was saying. So Booth took the long sleeve shirt that "Tony" so graciously held out for him and pulled it over his head.

"Who are you guys?" he wondered out loud.

"We are cops, we'll tell you that. But this Epps guy pays a hell of a lot better than the county".

"You do know I'm a federal Agent and assisting an escaped convict is a felony".

"Come on cowboy, don't go all goodie too shoes, never done anything wrong in your life on us. Cause we just don't care. We're in it for the money. Nothing more, nothing less." Williams informed him.

"Now the pants Romeo", Tony told him, holding out a pair of jeans, that were coincidentally his size.

"Do you know he is holding my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan hostage and will probably kill both of us, once you deliver me to him?"

"Don't know, don't care, not our problem", came Tony's smart remark.

"Socks and shoes", the driver was saying handing over a pair of white sneakers and white socks.

Booth finished changing and watched as the box of his clothes were thrown into a garbage bin. His main gun and his back up were tossed in the trunk of the cruiser. He was then handcuffed behind his back and blindfolded. He was then assisted back into the back seat by one of the officers and "Tony" resumed his spot at the wheel.

Epps finished his preparations and came back to Temperance. He removed her gag and she immediately asked for the bathroom. Seeing it not as a problem, Epps removed her ties on the legs and helped her up via her arm and started walking towards the bathroom. Brennan took that moment to pull out of his grasp, duck and twist, and sweep him off his feet with one of hers. He went down hard and Temp tried to bolt for the door, but Epps grabbed her ankle and she went down. She turned her body before landing so her back took the fall. She continued to kick out of his grasp, feeling satisfaction when he grunted in pain from her foot making contact with his nose. He recovered quickly and lunged at her, but she rolled to the side and he landed hard on the floor. She swung her body around to grab his neck with her legs and squeezed with all her might, screaming at him. "Son of a bitch, thought you were gonna rape me? I don't think so." She had a strange sense of deje'vu from the last hostage situation she was in and hoped this one turned out better than the last. He punched her repeatedly in the thigh trying to get her to release her grip. She could feel him losing strength and hoped it was soon. He was giving her a killer Charlie horse.

It was then that the door opened and Temperance saw two cops enter with a blindfolded and handcuffed angry Booth between them. "Let him go", one of the cops said to her holding a gun to Booth's temple.

"Don't do it Bones", Booth told her, not knowing what was going on but apparently Bones had the upper hand.

"Shut up!" the one with the gun to his temple said, pushing harder causing Booth to make a wincing face. The cop then cocked the gun, getting ready to shoot and Temp released her grip on Epps and let her head fall back to the ground in defeat. Epps scrambled to his feet and then pulled Temperance up by her hair causing her to cry out and stumble to get her feet under her to relieve the pressure on his scalp.

"You almost got me Dr. Brennan. Those are some good moves you've learned." He was in awe of her, even though he should be pissed, but that's because Temperance had no idea what was brewing in the twisted mind of his.

"Undo him", Epps ordered the two crooked cops, who followed orders by releasing Booths arms and his blindfold. Booth was going to lunge at Epps but saw he had a good hold on Temperance, his left arm around her neck and his right was pointing the gun at the side of her neck. Her hands were still immobile behind her.

"Agent Booth, I'm glad you could join us finally. I wish you could have seen Dr. Brennan here a few minutes ago. She was so strong, and dominating over me", Epps was seeming to get off on the explanation, running the muzzle of the gun down Bone's cheek and breathing hot air on her neck. It gave Booth the creeps.

"But you know Seeley, every woman has to learn her place eventually. And I think it's time that we taught Temperance a lesson, huh?"

"Don't you dare hurt her you bastard" Booth practically spat at him, which got him the butt of the gun to the temple. Not enough to knock him out but enough to be a warning.

"Oh agent Booth, I'm not that kind of guy…but…I bet you are. I'm sure there have been many times when she just annoyed you to no end huh? Enough where you just want to smack the Bitch huh?"

"NO", he answered vehemently.

"Oh c'mon, not even once? I think you are lying Seeley. Don't you think that she deserves to be punished for practically choking me?"

"No, I'm glad she did. I wish we would have been later so she could have finished the job", he spat at his enemy.

Bones had to smile a bit at Booth's encouragement to what she had done.

"I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this, but since you are not a willing participant Agent Booth, I'm going to have to get creative." Epps still had his arm around Temp's neck as he pulled her backwards with him towards the open kitchen area. He placed his gun on the counter as he opened a drawer and rustled around inside, until he pulled his hand out with a small double sided pairing knife. Bones knew her situation had just gone from bad to worse.

"You don't have to do this. What do you want from me? I'll do it, just don't hurt her." Booth pleaded.

Howard's mouth was right up against Temps ear as he said quietly, but loud enough for Booth to hear, "I want you to punish her".

"You want me to hit her?"

"Oh you're a smart fellow, I'm sure you can figure it out. If you don't want to I bet I could figure a way to do it", Epps said, creepily as he pushed the blade to her neck, causing Bones to move her head away from the blade. .

"Don't" Booth told him.

Epps ignored him and started talking to Temp, but loud enough that everyone could hear. "I'm no doctor, but isn't the carotid artery around here somewhere", and he quickly put a small slice in Bone's neck.

She let out a cry of surprise and pain. Booth went for Epps, but realized that Tweedledee and Tweedle dum had each taken a hold of one of his arms, so he could do no more that take a step before being pulled back.

Temperance took a deep breath to calm herself and regain her composure as she felt the warm liquid of her blood trail down her neck and be absorbed into her shirt. She would not show this asshole how frightened and scared he was making her. She was NOT weak. She would not break. She vowed if nothing else, she would take whatever he dished out with out a single plead for her life. There was no way he would make her beg.

"Actually", Temperance started, "If you want to hit the carotid you are going to have to go deeper and a little more to the left".

Booth couldn't believe her! "Bones, SHUT UP!" he yelled at her. Epps smiled at the exchange, amused by the duos interaction.

"You mean about here?" he asked, positioning the knife where she indicated and connected eyes with Booth smiling evilly.

"You don't have to kill her. Bring the bitch here and I'll teach her a lesson", Booth blurted out, before even knowing what he was saying.

"My…my…Dr. I think you may have upset Agent Booth", Epps stated pushing her forward, without releasing his hold.

"Go to hell", Temperance replied.

"I've already been there! It's called death row," he shouted in her ear. She was certain she would have a hearing deficit when this was all over.

"Now Tempy, you are going to stand right there and do not move. If either of you tries anything funny, Tony and Williams here will shoot you both." Epps stated planting Bones with her back against a wall. He watched as his guards released Booth and aimed their guns, each on a prisoner and then watched as Booth walked up to be an arms length in front of Bones. . Epps stood to the side so he could get a good view of the action. Bones stood there defiantly with her arms still tied behind her and stared at Booth waiting for whatever he would do. It seemed like he was having an internal debate with himself. Perhaps trying to psych himself up for whatever. Brennan saw the emotions go though his eyes. Defeat, shame, guilt, and finally desperation.

"Kill me", he pleaded with Epps, he just couldn't do it.

Temperance wasn't about to let Booth sacrifice himself. There was no way she was going to let him take the easy way out and leave her with this psycho. She knew what she had to do.

"You coward, you'd really offer yourself up to him, let him kill you and then what happens? I'm here alone with him for him to do whatever he wants to me. I thought you were better than that. What kind of man are you?" she degraded him as best she could.

"I know what you're trying to do Bones and it won't work", he replied.

"You don't know anything about me. You don't care what happens to me. You just think about yourself! You killed people for a living and think you can get redemption now by being a hero?"

Temperance could see she was getting to him. She saw his eyes cloud over.

"Your not a hero! Your nothing!"

Then she went in for the kill.

"No wonder Rebecca doesn't let you see Parker, you're too weak. C'mon you son a bitch, grow a set of balls and put me in my place!" Temperance yelled.

And with that a loud smack emanated through the room.


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AHEAD. CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED! _

Temperance felt her head snap to the side, from the force of the blow. She now knew she would never want to get in a physical fight with Booth. The punch had hurt worse than she anticipated. But she managed to hold herself together. Slowly she turned her head back to face him and realized he wouldn't look at her. Instead he was rubbing the knuckles on his left hand. She knew Booth was right handed so he had hit her with his weaker hand trying to ease her pain.

"I'm sorry", she heard his strangled whisper, loud enough only for her to hear. He still would not look at her.

"Nice hit Agent Booth, I knew you had it in you", Epps prided him.

"Whatever. Can we go now?" Booth asked.

"Oh no. The fun is just beginning. Now see that chair over there? Go sit in it or I find her carotid."

Booth did as he was told as he and Temp were far outnumbered. Two against three with guns and a knife was just no match.

"Tony…secure Agent Booth".

The officer did as he was told, cuffing Booths hands behind him and securing them with the chain in the floor. Next he attached a leg iron to each ankle, effectively immobilizing Booths feet. The next thing stumped Booth as the officer removed first his shoes and then his socks and placed stiff pieces of cardboard between his toes. When he was in the military he had tortured people and had been tortured but this one was new to him.

With Booth no longer a threat, Epps untied Bone's hands. She rubbed her wrists and then felt up to her face, checking for any broken facial bones. There were none, just lots of bruising she was sure would be there later, if not already.

Epps walked over and sat on the edge of the bed facing Booth.

"Join us, Dr. Brennan" Epps stated patting a spot beside him. Brennan saw Tony and Williams standing behind Booth. She complied and sat on the bed further away than Epps would have liked.

"You okay Bones?" Booth questioned, still not meeting her eyes.

"Hey! No talking!" Epps ordered.

"Agent Booth, do you have any idea the emotional turmoil I've had to go through while being on death row? Just knowing you are going to die and hoping each day for some miracle for a stay of execution? It really sucks. I'm going to make you feel the same pain I did. I'm going to leave you with images that will haunt you forever. And when I'm done, I'm going to release you and give you a gun. I want you to kill me. Prove to us how you are just like me. A murderer. You should be on death row, but because you can hide behind the "I did it for my country" mentality you are not. By the end of this ordeal, I will get you to murder me".

"Gladly", Agent Booth looked at the psychotic killer with hatred.

"Good", Epps stated.

"Dr. Brennan, I have a gift for you. Please open it". Epps handed her the wrapped up box. She tried to look at Booth for encouragement, reassurance, anything, but he was too torn up and blaming himself to meet her gaze.

"NOW", Epps ordered placing the knife against her side.

Bones unwrapped the present and pulled off the lid and a look of horror came across her.

"No…you can do what you want to me, but I will not dress up for you", she said staring at the lingerie in the box. It was an ivory satin v-neck baby doll type gown that criss-crossed in the back with black lace on the hem and some accenting the neck area. If it were from anyone else, Temperance would have thought it beautiful, but from Epps she hated it.

"Oh I think you will. Last chance Tempy. Bathrooms over there."

"I said no", Bone's was adamant.

"Okay then", he said and nodded to Williams.

"What are you doing?" Brennan voiced, seeing the cop go into a drawer for a hammer and then he squatted down next to Booth's legs. It was then that Temp realized what they were going to do.

"You can't do that. I'll change, please don…" and she was cut off with the ping of the hammer and the crack of Booth's left baby toe. He grunted hard and took deep breaths trying to ease the pain as she simultaneously let out a scream at the sound. She lunged at the guard hitting him with all her might on his back.

"Get this bitch off me", Williams hollered to Epps, who grabbed Temperance and pulled her off the cop.

"That was a freebie Tempy, since you didn't know what would happen, I'll let that outburst slide. Now go change."

Temperance took the package and got up, starting for the bathroom.

"Bones don't. I can take it…really." Booth pleaded with her, sweat dripping off his brow.

"Maybe you can, but I can't", she answered sighing in resignation and continued to the bathroom.

Once inside, she took a look at herself in the mirror. She was not surprised to see a large angry bruise across her right cheek. She shucked off her shirt and pants to be left in her underclothes before taking a washcloth and trying to freshen up a bit. She felt dirty and sweaty and just wanted to feel cleaner. Finally, removing her bra, she folded her clothes neatly on the edge of the sink and pulled the nighty over her head. It fit perfectly. She noticed the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door, and looked at herself. She readied herself for what she was about to endure and thought to disassociate herself.

'Think of something else, think of someone else', she told herself. 'Think of Booth making love to you for the first time. Think of him seeing you like this. No don't think of that. Booth is your partner, friend, nothing more. Yeah right. Keep lying to yourself Tempy. You know you want to take that hunk of man and rip his clothes off and take him on the ride of his life. Oh my God and I don't mean that in the religious sense, stop thinking like that'. She was having a full two-sided conversation with herself.

She then heard Angela's voice in her head from when Booth interrogated her last date. 'He's in love with you Sweetie and I know you love him too. Why do you think neither of your relationships work out? Because you're looking for each other in other people'. After that, she had assured herself what she felt towards Seeley was nothing but professional admiration, nothing more, but then why did she get butterflies in her stomach when he gave her that special smile reserved just for her? Why did she feel safer just knowing he was beside her? Why did she feel less lonely just because she knew he was in the same general area as her? The realization hit her like a ton of bricks and Bones found herself unable to stand on her own two feet. Leaning against the wall she started hyperventilating.

Ang was right! She was truly, madly, deeply in love with Seeley Booth!

Her thoughts were interrupted by Epps sadistic voice. "Dr. Brennan, you have three minutes to get out here, before I break another toe".

She slowed her breathing before replying, "I'll be right out".

Finding a hairbrush on the side of the sink she pulled it through her hair hitting more knots than she thought possible. She also found a brand new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet and brushed her teeth and when she left the bathroom, she felt a little better and surprisingly surer of herself.

The four men in the room heard the bathroom door's lock click and watched as the door slowly creaked open. Temperance stood in the doorway nervously, rubbing her hands up and down her arms in an effort to remove the chill in her spine, but realized that wouldn't be gone until she and Booth were away from this animal.

Booth was in awe. Bone's was absolutely beautiful. He knew this must have been killing her, being so exposed like this, especially to strange and cruel people. He wanted so bad to tell her, show her what she meant to him. If only he had a few minutes with her, he would take away all her pain. All the demons she carried on her shoulders, he'd take them all away if she would just let him in. Then the guilt hit him that she was doing all of this for him. She didn't want to see him in pain, so she was willing to do whatever Epps wanted her to do, just so she didn't have to see him hurt. 'God I love her. Whoa! Hold on sparky. Where did that come from? She's beautiful and smart and everything you could possibly ever want in a woman. She's your other half. If you were salt, she'd be pepper, if you were peanut butter, she'd be jelly. Okay, that was corny, but it all means the same Booth. Shut up brain. Now is not the time to have an epiphany.'

He heard Angela's voice come to his head. The quirky, squeamish artist who reconstructed faces of dead people had told him, "She's in love with you Sweetie and I know you love her too. Why do you think neither of your relationships work out? Because you're looking for each other in other people'.

He had tried to convince himself after that, that Ang was wrong. He had the utmost respect for Bone's, but love? It couldn't possibly be. But then why did his day brighten, just by seeing her? Why did he want to go out in the field, just so he could be in the car with her? Why did he call her 10 times a day, just to make sure she was okay? And then it hit him hard.

Ang was right! He was truly, madly, deeply in love with Temperance Brennan!

"Wow. Dr. Brennan, you look incredible! Please come join us", Epps told her. She walked across the room, hating the leering from the group of men. They were ogling her and it was making her very uncomfortable. She wondered how long she could hold up her vow to not beg and plead with these monsters. Hell, it wouldn't do any good anyway. Temperance dared a look at Booth and noticed he still wouldn't meet her gaze. She wished he would look at her. Offer her some comfort, but he kept his eyes off of her. The very thought that he would look at her like that made her blush extremely red, causing Epps to take her blush the wrong way.

"No reason to be embarrassed Dr. Brennan, we're all consenting adults here".

Finally reaching her destination, she sat on the edge of the bed, keeping her arms folded across her, each hand slowly rubbing up and down the opposite arm.

"What do you think Agent Booth?" Epps said motioning his hands like he was Vanna White.

"She's beautiful", Booth stated, keeping his eyes off of her as much as possible.

"How can you tell? You're not even looking her way".

"I've seen her before. I know what she looks like", Booth said, the defeat evident in his voice.

"Tempy…stand up", Epps ordered.

Temperance stood, wondering what game they would be playing now.

"Stand in front of Agent Booth". She did.

"Closer". She moved forward.

"CLOSER!" he yelled and she moved a little more. She was now between Booth's knees, the seat of his chair pushing into her thighs. She was so embarrassed, being forced to be so close to Booth in such little attire.

"Dr. Brennan, please drop your arms", Temperance felt her dignity crumble a little more as she lowered clenched fists to her side.

"Now Agent Booth, look at her".

"Just let her go, please. I'm the one you want and you have me. She helped you for god sake. How can you do this to her?"

"It was easy. You picked her, not me. Now look at her or the next toe goes."

Booth was feeling defiant. He welcomed the pain as long as he did not have to degrade Bones any more by staring at her.

"I've got nine left, better get started".

"BOOTH!" he heard Brennan exclaim.

"Oh it's not just toes, you got ankles, knees, fingers, arms, must I go on?"

"Am I that unattractive that you can't look at me?" Brennan asked sadly.

Booth's eyes were immediately upon hers. She had it all wrong.

"You're beautiful Bones. This just isn't the way I pictured this moment. I know this is hard for you and I'm trying to keep myself from gawking at you to make it even worse. After all you've done for me, the least I can do is leave you with some dignity. But don't for one second think that I find you unattractive because it's the exact opposite."

She could see the truth in his eyes, she saw the pain in them, emotional as well as physical. He held her gaze for what seemed like the longest time and it soothed her. Just seeing his care and concern in them caused her eyes to wet with unshed tears of thankfulness. What she wouldn't give to have the strength to say, "I love you" to him.

Epps saw the looks between them and started laughing "Dr. Brennan, do you know his past? Everything he has done? He is not a good man!"

Bones could see the emotion in his face as the words of Epps stung him. He knew they held some truth.

There was no way Bones was going to let Booth think for one second he wasn't a good man. No matter what she had to reveal.

She turned to Epps. "You're wrong! Seeley is a great man. Better than you can ever hope to be. You are nothing more than a manipulating, sick, twisted, bastard, who has to hurt others for amusement."

She could see she was getting to him, but being Brennan she pressed on.

"You're so disgusting that you had to kill all those women to keep them with you. Otherwise they would have left your sorry ass and moved on but you couldn't take the rejection, so you killed them. You should be dead by now, but because Booth is such an honorable, upstanding man, he didn't want to have one single doubt in his mind and he opened every avenue to aide you and what do you do? You use him, use your lawyer, and you use me. You're sick!"

"I would stop now if I were you", he told her coldly.

"Why? Can't handle the truth Howie? Can't stand to hear what a raving lunatic you are? Booth killed to save lives, not just for the enjoyment of it."

"And what about you…has he saved you?"

"More times than I care to recall", Brennan replied.

She saw the slightest smile splay across Booth's lips at her defiance and a light in his eyes, she hadn't seen since they got in this situation. In that moment it was just the two of them and she found herself smiling right back. Then Epps had to ruin it all.

"And what would you do to save him Dr. Brennan? Would you kill someone for him?"

She turned her head to face Epps again.

"If he was in danger, yes."

"Would you give your own life to save his?"

"Yes".

"Would you kiss me if it meant he stayed alive?"

"Yes".

"No", she heard from Booth at the same time. "Do what you want with me, leave her out of it!"

Epps gave a nod to Williams who put his gun to Booth's temple.

"Kiss me", he ordered.

"Bones", she heard Booth's voice laced with desperation.

She looked between Booth's pleading eyes, to the gun that Williams was pulling the hammer back on and then Epps, his eyebrows raised as if waiting for her reply.

Her mind made up, she hoped Booth would not think any less of her. She leaned in towards Epps, putting her lips to his and kissed him. He held her to him for a good thirty seconds before trying to deepen the kiss. Brennan pulled away wiping her mouth in disgust.

"Not bad. She's a good kisser, Booth. Have you ever kissed her?"

"None of your damn business", he spat.

"Kiss him", Epps ordered Temperance.

"What?" she asked in disbelief. When she finally got up the nerve to kiss Booth it was supposed to be special. It was supposed to be private, the kind of kiss that made your toes curl and the world disappear and be nothing more than him and her. Not with an audience of two crooked cops and a sociopath murderer.

"Kiss him", Epps ordered a bit louder and shoved Brennan, causing her to land in Booth's lap.

"Sorry", she stated at her landing.

"No problem", Booth said acting as though they were having a normal everyday conversation.

One of her hands came up to caress his soft cheek.

"It's not supposed to be like this", she voiced her feelings to Booth.

"I know. I'm sorry".

Leaning in closer she came almost all the way keeping eye contact, and then waited and let him choose to continue. Booths head went forward, tentatively placing his lips on hers and watched as her eyes drifted closed. She felt it, that wonderful tingle in your stomach she'd heard Angela talk about. It was there full force and she liked it. Her hand on his cheek slid back further to behind his head and pulled him closer, tighter. She needed to feel as much of his as she could. Losing herself in the situation her other hand made its way around his neck, rubbing her fingers lightly over the skin just above the top of his shirt. She couldn't believe it. Her and Booth were kissing. She felt her heart soar when his tongue licked her bottom lip, requesting a feat he needn't request. Her lips parted, breathing a small amount of warm air into his mouth from her contented sigh and openly accepted the caresses of his tongue. She gave back what she could but he was definitely the alpha male in the sex department and she realized that with Booth she had absolutely no problem with that.

Breathing deeply, she pulled back, placing her forehead to his.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time", he confessed looking her straight in the eyes and she knew without a doubt that it was the truth.

"Alright, enough", Epps declared, grabbing Brennan by the arm and pulling her off of Booth's lap.

"See I'm not that terrible am I Agent Booth? I got you some action".

"Go to hell", Booth sneered at him.

"Ahh…the infamous 'Go to Hell' line. Well this has been fun, but I think it's time for the finale. Booth are you ready to see Dr. Brennan give herself up to a man you both despise to save you?"

"What?" Booth asked, not believing what he was hearing.

"Dr. Brennan, I want you to tell Booth here, that you want to have sex with me…and you want him to watch".

"No" she heard Booth answer for her. "Bones for once in your life, listen to me. Don't do this. I can take whatever he dishes out. Don't you ever give yourself up to save me".

"I believe it's Doctor Brennan's call", Epps told Booth calmly, as though this were an everyday occurrence.

"No", came a small whisper.

"Excuse me? I didn't hear you", Epps taunted.

"NO. I will not say that", Bones replied, loud enough for the room to hear.

"Okay. Let's see how many toes it takes to change your mind."

Epps leaned down taking hold of the hammer.

Brennan knew that was the point her vow of not pleading went out the window.

"Please, don't do this. You can't do this to another human being! What's wrong with you?" She cried allowing tears to flow down her cheeks, pulling at his shoulder to get him to back away.

"As you said Doctor, I'm sick and twisted." He then pushed her hard and she went down, catching herself on her hands, she was now on her left hip, her knees slightly bent, the top leg extended a little further than the other and she heard the sound of the hammer hitting and breaking bone.

"Son of a bitch", she heard Booth exclaim. She looked at his feet. His last two toes were swollen, and black and blue, the nails had cracked and were bleeding. The bruising extended up the outside of his foot. She guessed that at least the first two metatarsals and possibly the third of each toe were broken. The other three toes had no idea what was coming. They looked just as normal and natural as could be.

Epps was aiming for the third before he paused to speak to Brennan. "Doctor, should I break the next one?"

"No", she cried pitifully, her resolve fully broken. She was crying in front of this maniac.

"Then say it!" he yelled to her.

"I can't", she sobbed and then cried out in emotional agony as Booth's third toe was smashed. She couldn't watch this. She couldn't take much more. She may be strong-minded when it came to herself, but not when it was other people. Not when it was other people that she loved.

"Ugh, damn you", Booth muttered, letting his head fall back, sweat dripping off his face and hair.

"Booth?" she was begging permission to give in.

"NO!" he shouted through clenched teeth.

The ping of the hammer hitting the fourth toe and then the concrete reverberated through the room. One of the guards couldn't seem to take the sound anymore and ran to the trashcan to puke.

"Aghh, You little shit", Booth muttered out.

"Please", Temperance begged again, through her tears, still not picking herself off the ground, but leaning up on her hands so she could see the two men. She didn't know whom she was begging at this point, Epps to stop or Booth to let her give in.

"All you gotta do is say the words Tempy and this stops" Epps told her, aiming for the final toe of that foot. Booths foot was a mess. Blood was everywhere on his feet, whether from being splattered on or just plain missing nail. The bruising was far worse, extending throughout four toes and up the top of his foot.

Booth had not lifted his head back up yet. He still let it lag behind him, breathing deeply.

"Okay, you win Howard. I give up. But first you have to go clean up. You have blood all over you."

"This wouldn't be a trick would it Tempy?"

"Do you really think I would try to pull something with Booth's safety being on the line?"

"Bones, don't you do it!" She heard from Booth his head finally raised, his face a bit pale.

"It'll be okay Booth. I can disassociate myself."

Epps released the hammer with a clang onto the floor and stood, reaching back down for Temperance's hands, to help her up, a big smile on his face. She smiled back and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"Alright, I'll be right back. You stay right here. Don't try anything funny", Epps said lowering Temp to sit on the bed. She smiled at him with the most affectionate smile she could muster.

"Bones, if you go through with this I don't think I'll ever be able to look at you the same way again". He was angry. Angry that Brennan was putting herself out there to save him. 'How am I supposed to ever get close to her knowing that she CHOSE to have sex with that monster? Yeah, if she was forced, I could understand, but she is willingly going to do it. What the hell is wrong with her?

"I guess that's a chance I'll have to take", she said as nonchalantly as ever. 'That really hurt Booth. Won't be able to look at me the same? I'm only doing this for you. I can't believe he would say that to me. Wow…my heart hurts. I guess those words stung worse than I thought.'

"Now shut up and let me take a look at your foot. Do you guys mind?" Temperance asked the two cops. They shrugged and watched her stand and move towards Booth. She turned her back to them and bent down from the waist, exposing a lot of skin from the backs of her thighs. She looked back and smiled at them, realizing they were staring at her. Men were so predictable. She waited for just the right moment, when Williams seemed to be most entranced instead of keeping the gun to Booth's head. Figuring now was the best time, she touched Booth's ankle with one hand giving a small squeeze of reassurance and slowly picked up the hammer with the other one.

Before the guards knew what was happening, she swung around, bringing the hammer down on Williams arm, hearing it snap in two, he dropped the gun and grasped his arm, screaming. Temp saw Tony was reaching for his gun and chucked the hammer as hard as she could, clipping him in the forehead and effectively knocking him out. With Tony effectively immobilized, she returned her attention to Williams. She grabbed the gun he had dropped and pulled him to his knees by his hair, pointing the gun at the base of his neck. He was still clutching his broken arm. Brennan looked to the bathroom door, noticing it was now open, but saw no sign of Epps.

"Where'd he go?" She questioned Booth.

"I don't know. I was watching you kick ass", Booth stated proudly. She turned to Tony laid out on the floor, a small pool of blood around him and wondered if she'd killed him.

"I'm right here, Dr. Brennan".

She saw Epps move into her line of sight. Apparently while she was "kicking ass" he had made his way to the kitchen to retrieve his gun.

"Put the gun down or he dies", she yelled to him, holding her gun into the officer's neck.

"Okay", Epps stated and then shot the officer in the head.

Brennan took two seconds in shock before aiming and pulling the trigger.

Nothing happened. All she heard was an empty click. She checked to make sure the safety was off and tried again, only to receive another click.

"You bitch, you didn't think I could talk these cops into murder as well as kidnapping? The guns were just for show and not loaded. Only mine is", Epps stated pointing to Tony who had begun to stir and shooting him dead. Then he pointed his gun at Agent Booth.

"Get over here, or he gets quite the headache."

Brennan couldn't believe it. She had such a perfect plan and it all backfired. And now she had pissed off a serial killer. She walked slowly toward him, dreading the next few minutes, knowing she was going to feel pain and lots of it.

When she got close enough he grabbed her by the wrist and threw her hard into the wall. She had the wind knocked out of her, and he got the upper hand. Raising the gun above her he brought it down hard onto her face, pistol-whipping her. Temperance heard the crack of her cheekbone and nearly passed out. She felt a warm liquid cascade down her face and when a bit of it hit her lips, causing her to involuntarily lick them, she tasted the coppery blood. Dizzy, she slid down the wall to a seated position, all the while hearing Booth in the background yelling at Epps. She couldn't make out the words, but she was sure if words could kill, Epps would be dead.

He didn't give her long to recover before tossing the gun down and pulling her up by her arms. He was exhibiting strength she had no idea he had. The adrenaline must have been pouring into him. He was yelling at her with threats of pain, lots of pain. He tossed her easily onto the kitchen table, and with the satin she was wearing she slid across the table and onto the floor on the other side. Landing on the concrete, she fought hard to remain conscious. He grabbed her by one ankle, turning her roughly to her back, and pulled her into Booth's view. Her hands remained limp above her head as she tried to understand what was happening. Barely aware of her surroundings she felt a heavy weight land on her body, pinning her to the ground.

"BONES! BONES!" she kept hearing Booth's voice. He was yelling at her. Why was he yelling at her? She opened her eyes groggily to see a blurred vision of a man above her. Her eyes closed again and she fought once more to open them. Still fuzzy, everything was fuzzy. She blinked once more turning her head towards the voice calling her name and this time her eyes cleared enough for her to see Booth's face. He was crying.

"Why are you crying?" she asked sleepily and then she cried out as she felt a rough pain between her legs before finally succumbing to the unconscious world that was beckoning her. .


	5. Chapter 5

Brennan woke from her dream to find Booth sitting to her right, holding her hand. He had his head laid on top of their intertwined hands and she could feel drops of water landing on her knuckles. Both his wrists were wrapped in gauze.

"Booth?" she croaked out. He looked up and she saw his red-rimmed eyes coming to the realization that she was in the hospital. Her bed was at a comfortable 45-degree angle, allowing her full view of her room. And she took a few moments to look around. She saw flowers and balloons surrounding her and cards taped to the walls. A picture frame of her, Booth and the squints was on a bedside table. She saw Angela and Hodgins asleep in chairs to her left, before finally turning back to Booth and seeing it on his face,

"It wasn't a dream", she whispered, awaiting confirmation.

With tears on his cheeks, Booth kissed the back of her hand keeping it tightly in his. "No. No, it wasn't".

Temperance turned her eyes to the ceiling and silently cried.

She remembered the abduction.

She remembered the conversations with Epps.

She remembered Booth arriving with two cops.

She remembered the punch.

"You can hit hard", she said to Booth, but not looking at him.

He chuckled nervously.

She put her left hand to her right cheek feeling the swelling and was sure if she saw a mirror there would be bruising as well.

She remembered the hammer.

"Your toes?" she questioned him.

"The bastard broke four of them."

Booth saw she was going through it again in her mind and awaited the dreaded realization that was to come.

She remembered kissing Booth.

"I kissed you," she stated blushing.

"You can't take all the credit. I was there too." He smiled at her.

She remembered her plan to get them out of the situation.

She remembered breaking the one cops arm and then knocking the other out.

She remembered Epps killing the two guards and then realizing her gun was not loaded.

She remembered the beating she took, the wall, the gun, the table, the floor, and then…

Lifting her head off the pillow she looked directly at Booth. "Did he?" she asked and he knew what she wanted to know. He wanted with all his heart and soul to lie to her, but he knew she had to know.

"Yeah…he did".

"NOOOO", Brennan cried out, slamming her head back into the pillow and turning her face away from Booth. Angela and Hodgins were awake by now and Ang had arrived to Bren's bedside. She too was crying as Temp pleaded with her.

"Tell me he's lying. Please tell me it's not true".

"I…I can't", Angela replied, crying right along with her. Hodgins stood in the background with one hand supportively on Angela's shoulder.

Brennan could feel Booth continuing to grip her hand. She remembered his words back at Epps. "Bones, if you go through with this I don't think I'll ever be able to look at you the same way again". She got angry and pulled her hand from his grasp. "How do you see me now?" she spat out. "Am I dirty? Am I tainted? Am I ruined?"

"Whoa, sweetie, what are you talking about?" Angela asked.

"It's something I said", Booth clued Ang in. "When we were with Epps, she had a plan, but to make it work, she had to make Epps think she wanted him. I thought she was doing it to save my toes and it made me angry, so I said if she went through with it I wouldn't be able to look at her the same way again."

"Ouch dude", this came from Hodgins.

"I didn't mean it like that Temperance. I'm sorry it came out that way. I was angry that you were put in the situation that you had to sacrifice yourself to save me. I'd rather die than see him do that to you, and when it seemed like you were willing to go along with it, I felt like shit. I should have known that it was an act and I'm sorry". Booth was crying, but Bones just couldn't make herself console him, not with what she had just been through.

"Bren, there's more", Angela pressed on.

"More? How could there be more? Did he give me an STD? Am I pregnant? What more could there be?" Bones was angry and Angela did not blame her one bit.

"Maybe it's best if we just show you", Angela helped Brennan sit up in the bed and had Jack hold a compact up behind Brennan, while she gave Temp a handheld mirror to see the reflection of her back. She saw a gauze pad with various dots of blood seeping through slowly. Brennan didn't know what the big deal was. So she was hurt.

Angela pulled the left strap of Brennan's tank top down her arm a bit to bring the entire piece of gauze into view, while pushing her hair over her right shoulder and then slowly untapped it from her back. Cautiously peeling it away, a sight appeared that made Temperance totally lose it.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: PREPARE THE KLEENEX and thank you for all the reviews! You guys are wonderful!

"Oh God", she cried to the being that she didn't even believe in, putting her hand to her mouth in shock, continuing to stare at her shoulder. Carved in to her near perfect skin were the letters H Epps. The bastard had marked her, branded her if you will, leaving her with a permanent physical memory of the nightmare she had endured.

Suddenly she couldn't breath. She couldn't think. She was mad, she was scared, she was ashamed, she was violated, she was scarred for life and yet she was happy. Happy to be alive. She was so conflicted; she didn't know what to do. "I'm going to be sick", she announced to the room, throwing the covers back and running for the bathroom, where the trio heard her sobs and heaves.

Angela slowly entered the bathroom, closing the door behind her to give her and her friend some needed privacy. She sat down next to Temp, rubbing her back, while Bones stayed hunched over the porcelain bowl.

When Brennan had regained control of her gag reflex, she stayed at the toilet, leaning her elbows on the seat and pushing her hands into her hair, pulling it away from her face. "What do I do now?"

"You continue on and work through this, just like you always do when bad stuff happens", Angela encouraged her.

"I can't keep enduring bad stuff Ang. I may put up a tough exterior, but believe it or not, I have a breaking point". An involuntary sniffle followed the comment along with a sarcastic chuckle.

"I know you do, that's why you need to let someone in. Stop dealing with all of this on your own. There are so many people who love you and care about you and can help you through this. You just have to let us".

"You know I've never been good at that".

"I know, but it's never too late to try".

Temperance allowed her friend to hug her from behind, before standing to wash her face. She stood at the sink, while Ang bandaged her back to cover Howard's inscription.

"You know when this heals, we can go get you an awesome tattoo to cover it. What do you think about a skeleton? I could draw one with a smilie face."

Bones couldn't help but laugh a bit through her tears. She could always count on Angela in the time of crisis.

Seeing her reflection in the mirror didn't help matters any. Her face was a mess. The right side, the side that Booth was responsible for, was bruised below her eye and red around the cheek. The left side, thanks to Epps and the butt of his gun had a cut along her cheek, with massive bruising due to the broken bone and steri-strips on top of that. Her upper arms had Epps hand prints bruised into them with an angry blue and purple.

"I look terrible", she voiced to her friend.

"Cut yourself some slack, sweetie".

"Cut myself?"

"It's an expression. It means don't be so hard on yourself; you've been through enough. Both of you have."

"I like the outfit, thanks", Brennan replied, looking at the very cute light purple tank top and matching plaid flannel pajama bottoms that she was currently wearing, as well as a thick pair of purple socks.

"Well it was either this, or the gown that hides nothing the hospital supplies. I took a chance".

"It's nice, thank you". Brennan turned around and embraced her friend, before finally returning to her bed.

Brennan was released a day later, and had Ang bring her back to the lab. She was afraid to go home, although she wouldn't tell anyone that. She just said, since her stay in the hospital she was behind on work. Cullen had stopped by before her release and gave her the name of a therapist saying it might help to talk about it. Brennan didn't even wait till her left before crunching it up and throwing it away. Booth wasn't given a choice to see a therapist after what he did to Epps when he was freed from his shackles.

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"Booth, I'd like you to tell me what happened after Dr. Brennan realized her gun didn't work", the therapist prodded him.

Booth knew this was the reason he was here and the only way to get back to work was come clean and talk about what he did and how he felt about it. Taking a deep breath he began the harrowing tale.

"I saw them fighting. He slammed her into a wall, pistol-whipped her and then threw her across a table. I didn't see her land; it was out of my view. The next thing I saw he was dragging her by the ankle into my line of sight, making sure I had an excellent view of the 'action'. She was on the brink of passing out and was very disoriented. I kept calling to her, trying to get her to realize what was happening so she could fight, but she wasn't hearing me. He then laid on her, fiddled around with his clothes and then hers. She looked right at me and asked why I was crying, and then he plunged into her, causing a cry of pain and she finally was rewarded with unconsciousness. I wasn't so lucky. I got to stay awake and view the entire thing," Seeley said this sarcastically.

"The bastard took his time rapping her. Telling me how each stroke felt. How warm she was. How tight she was. How wet she was. I couldn't take anymore and threw up. My insides were tearing apart at the sight. I didn't want to watch, but he told me if I didn't it would last a lot longer and he'd be much rougher. Everything in me was dying watching that. Knowing I couldn't do a damn thing to stop it and I had failed her. I couldn't save her. I wanted to…. I prayed to God… please release me from these chains so I can stop this monster from causing any further damage. I struggled so hard I cracked a bone in my wrist. But God wasn't listening to me that day." Booth was in tears, sitting forward in his chair, head down, hands folded, looking at the floor as he continued.

"When he was finished, he got up and I saw bruising on her thighs. I wasn't sure if it was from the beating or the rape. But it didn't matter. He had hurt her either way. He made a show of zipping up his pants and then brought me the used condom, waving it in front of my face, saying 'look at all the baby Howie's that will never know this world'. He sat down in front of me and asked me if I thought I'd suffered enough, had I seen enough, would I ever forget Howard Epps and I told him I wouldn't. He'd made himself a permanent memory; nothing would shake him from my head. He was amused at my tears, saying 'who thought a sniper, FBI Special Agent could be so emotional'." Booth took a moment to sniffle. His nose was running from his crying and he used his sleeve to wipe it. The therapist then offered him a tissue.

"He asked me if I still loved Temperance, knowing what he had done to her. I said I always would. There was nothing to hide from him anymore. He took everything I value away from me, so when he asked me these questions I answered as honestly as I could. I felt no shame in my crying. He told me I was a better man than him. Had a serial killer raped his girlfriend, he would have tossed her like trash. 'How could I be with her knowing she'd been taken by evil?' he asked me. It's not her fault was my reply. He told me I was right. It wasn't Temps fault what he did to her it was mine. He then told me never to let her go. She was special. He wished he had found someone that cared for him as deeply as Temp cared for me. Someone who would do anything to save him, but he never found that. All the women he dated, were trash. Out for one thing and one thing only, so he had killed them. When he told them he loved them and they laughed, he'd smashed their skulls in with a tire iron. He told me he forgave me for putting him in prison and on death row. He said I was just doing my job. He wanted me to understand why he did the things he did. I told him I didn't think I would ever understand. 'It was because they caused me pain', he explained to me. 'Hurt me emotionally, made me feel useless, less of a man, so I made them pay'."

"'Are you ready to make me pay?' he asked. 'Are you ready for retribution?' At that moment I realized, I did understand. He had been hurt and made them pay. He hurt me and I wanted him to pay. I was going to make him pay. 'See?' he said. 'There is a Howard Epps in all of us'. And then he released me. 'Just like that?' I asked. He said he was finished. He had gotten his revenge and he had nothing else left to do but die and I gladly helped him."

"What did you do to him Agent Booth?" the therapist asked.

"I tied him to the table and used the paring knife to cut slits in him. I cut lines everywhere. I'd read about death by 1000 cuts and I was only at 40 when he begged me to end it quickly, but it was too soon. He wasn't done yet. I cut his Achilles tendon on each ankle. He screamed. I then released him from the table and he fell to the floor. I kicked him, everywhere. He tried to curl into a ball. I didn't care. I let out every ounce of hatred he had instilled in me. He was black and blue and probably already dead by the time the cops got there. The neighbor had called the cops after hearing the first set of gunshots when Howard killed his accomplices. It took them a long time. When the paramedics arrived, they said he had a pulse and loaded him on the stretcher. I asked one of the cops if I could see their gun for a minute and he let me, not knowing what I was going to do. I went over to Howard and he met my eyes. 'You understand' he said to me. 'Yes I do' I replied back and shot him point blank in the forehead. His blood splattered on the paramedics and me. 'Does he still have a pulse?' I asked. And by the looks of shock I knew. Howard Epps could not hurt another soul."

"And that's what happened", Booth finished for the therapist, looking up to see the old man entranced in Booth's story.

"All right Agent Booth", he said after taking a deep breath. "I'm going to sign off on your paper. You've been through enough."

"Aren't you going to ask me how I feel about what I did?"

"I have a wife. I have a daughter. I think I have a pretty good idea how you feel. Good bye Agent Booth and Take care of that partner of yours".

"Thank you", Booth replied with a firm handshake and nod of the head, he left.

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	7. Chapter 7

AN: WOW it's been a long time huh? Well I got my writing bug back and am trying to complete all my half finished stories. So thanks for reading and reviewing! It means a lot. And I know sometimes my characters seem out of character but isn't that half the fun of making them do what you want? hehe...also you'll note in Chapter 5 I removed the not again thing...just another can of worms I didn't want to deal with. Later!

Booth had been placed on light duty until his toes healed and Zack had been assigned to the temporary replacement, since Brennan didn't want to go out in the field anymore, so it'd been a few days since Booth had seen Brennan. He called everyday, trying to get a read on how she was doing. She never talked to him though, so he went through Angela.

"She needs time, Sweetie", she always told him.

Brennan was in her office on the couch, with a pillow and blanket, willing sleep to come to her. She hadn't spent a day in her apartment since her abduction and had Ang and Hodgins bring most of her clothes and toiletries here to the Jeffersonian. Hell, this place had security, washrooms for the staff, and an eating area. She didn't need to leave her safe haven.

Every time she closed her eyes, she would see the hammer smashing Booth's toes. Her stomach hurt. She ate very little. The sound stuck in her head and made her physically ill. "Sleep, I need sleep", she'd tell herself. PING! She tried to count sheep, but one of the bastards had a bell or something because every time she was close to falling asleep one of them would PING! And her eyes would open. She tried writing some of her latest book, when her email would mock her PING! And she'd shut the computer off with out saving her work. She'd called in sick the last two days from her office, saying she just couldn't work today and the whole crew was giving her lots of leeway.

Angela stopped by a few times each day, just to check on her, and bring her something to eat. Ang didn't say so but she was worried. She hadn't seen Temp this withdrawn since she first met her. And slowly, Temperance had opened up and allowed herself to show who she truly was. That was gone now. Back to square one.

Bones knew Epps was dead. She hadn't learned the details, and she didn't care. As long as he was dead she shouldn't have anything to fear. But she still did. She feared herself. She was scared she'd never get through this.

Victim. She hated that word. It made her think of those old scary movies she used to watch, where the victim was running from someone and would always seem to trip, or run UP the stairs instead of down or outside. It made her think of those bones out on her table waiting to be identified. They were victims. Victims of war, victims of crimes, it didn't matter, they were all victims and now so was she.

She was so lost in thought she didn't hear her office door open. She thought she was safe, seeing as how she locked it. She startled a bit to see Booth tower over the back of the couch and meet her wet eyes, with his sad ones.

"How'd you get in?" she asked and he held up the key she once gave him incase he should ever need to get in her office while she was away.

"I tried knocking", he said, taking a seat on the arm of the couch closest to her feet.

She didn't reply and didn't bother to wipe her eyes, letting the fallen tears stain her skin. The bruises were slowly fading, no longer angry blues and purples, but softer pinks and yellows.

"What are you doing here Booth?" she asked quietly.

"It's near midnight. I was on my way home and saw your car outside. I'm worried about you Bones".

Bones…the nickname suddenly seemed foreign to her. It sounded weird after not hearing it for so long. It'd only been a week, but without sleep seemed like a long time.

Booth took this opportunity to lift her feet that were covered with the blanket and sit on the couch below them and then letting them rest in his lap. Brennan didn't stop him. She didn't react at all.

"Bones, look at me", he pleaded.

"I'm sorry, I'm not in the mood for a bare your soul sharing moment Booth. Maybe later."

"Okay. Then I'll just sit here and keep you company."

"I don't want company," she answered.

"You don't have to be alone in this Temperance."

"But I am alone, me against the world. No amount of talking will change that."

"That's not true. You are not alone. People are here who want to help you, but you have to let them. Why won't you let me help you? Do you not trust me? What is it?"

"I don't need help Booth. That's where I went wrong in the first place. I let my guard down, I let people in, I ended up depending on them too much and it got me hurt."

"What are you talking about Bones?" Seeley was lost. Was she talking about him? That he didn't save her from Epps, or what?

Sitting up suddenly crossing her legs Indian style, Brennan faced him. "I listened to Angela. I let my guard down. I let you in Booth. And I came to depend on you. I thought no matter what happened, you'd always be there to save me just in the nick of time. You were my modern day knight in shining armor. I was bolder than I should have been, took a risk I shouldn't have, because I thought you'd always be there to protect me. You were supposed to save me. You were supposed to stop him. Why didn't you stop him?" She finished with a cry of betrayal and blame in her voice.

"I wanted to Temp. God I wanted to. I couldn't get out of the bonds. He had me chained. What was I supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to be Booth."

"I can't be the savior all the time, Bones. Sometimes I need help too." His voice was raising more than he would have liked.

"And that's where I went wrong", she shouted back.

"I don't know why I came here. You are too set on blaming someone else, when in fact you made a bad judgment call. What made you think you could take on three of them? You always have to prove you're so independent and this time it bit you in the ass. Blame me all you want Temp, but I didn't make you take the risk."

They were having a full fledge fight. One they'd never had before. It was frightening.

"Get Out!" she screamed.

"Gladly", he yelled back.

And there it was. With a slam of the door, another person she cared about walked out of her life. She laid back down on the couch, throwing her arm over her eyes. She remembered back when she was little and told her mom that everyone was picking on her. Her mom had said, "If it seems like the world is against you, maybe it's you that needs to change." That made complete sense. Everyone walked out of her life. Maybe it was her that caused them all to leave. Maybe it was something she was doing wrong.

Her father and brother had left her because she appeared to not need anybody. Her dad said, she'd do better without him. None of her relationships worked out, because she wouldn't let anyone get close. And now she had pushed Booth away as well. Seems people did want to care about her, but she just wouldn't let them. She was no good at the social thing and lately she wasn't productive at work either. What use was she to this world? It's like that saying 'I came, I saw, I conquered'. Well with Temperance, 'I came, I saw, I was defeated'.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Been awhile huh? Hope you all like it.**

Chapter 8

Her thoughts then turned to Booth. He was so right. What made her take that risk? She should have known better! Idiot! It was her fault and she had blamed Booth. He must hate her right now. The only thing she was thankful for was that Epps had beaten her unconscious so she wasn't awake through the ordeal. She didn't know if she'd be able to handle being awake. She knew deep down rape was all about control and she'd told numerous victims that they weren't at fault and they shouldn't feel guilty, that there was nothing they could do, but she just couldn't make herself believe it. She ran the events through her head over and over. What she should have done? What she could have done differently? What she did right? None of it helped relieve her guilt and shame. He had used her in every sense of the word. He used her to get his stay of execution and then he used her to get even with Booth and then he used her body for his whatever. She was such a fool. This is why I trust no one she repeated to herself. I let people in and I get hurt. But there was also some good wasn't there? She kissed Booth. Like really kissed him and he kissed her back. Of course it could have been their bodies response to the stress of the situation, but she was sure they both felt something. Not that she would ever ask Booth, she just wasn't that way. He probably wouldn't want her now anyway. Not with the head case she turned into and certainly not since she'd become a victim. She felt tainted and dirty and ashamed.

And scared… she'd never been so scared in her life. Epps was dead, yet she was still terrified to be out alone. She was afraid to go home. She wanted her freedom back. Her independence but she was trapped in the cage that Epps had condemned her to and he wasn't even around to see her suffer.

She cried herself to sleep that night, and had two hours of good solid sleep before the dreams began.

"Hey Tempy. Having trouble sleeping?".

"What are you doing here? You're dead"

"I'll never be dead. I'm a part of you. You'll never be rid of me".

"No, You're gone! Leave me alone! Please…please go away!"

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm here to make sure you never forget me".

"How could I? Now let me sleep…please."

"I'll go, but I'm never far. Watch your back Temperance. I'm coming back to finish you both off. Just when you think you can let your guard down, I'll be back. See you soon Tempy"

Bones woke in a cold sweat, breathing rapidly. She sat up shaking. She wanted to feel safe. She wanted to feel less alone and there was only one person who did that for her. Before she realized what she was doing she had pressed speed dial on her phone and heard Booth's groggy voice.

"Hello?" she heard his sleep laced voice. How come he could sleep and she couldn't? It just wasn't fair. She felt tears slip down her cheeks just hearing him. How she wished she could just tell him everything she was feeling, to beg forgiveness for being so weak. She just couldn't do it. She wanted to let him in so much so she wouldn't go through this alone. He had offered, but she had already ruined that by telling him to get out. She remained silent.

"Bones is that you?" He must have checked the caller ID on his phone.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" he was instantly on alert

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called", she whispered hanging up.

Booth hadn't been in a deep sleep when Brennan called. He just couldn't seem to get his mind to relax. She sounded so defeated on the phone. He knew he had to go to her. Now was a better time than any. It was the middle of the night and they'd be able to yell, scream and cry all they wanted since no one else was there. He knew she was still at work and it didn't take him long to get dressed and drive to the Jeffersonian. He let himself in, but not before stopping by security to tell them he and Dr. Brennan needed some privacy and to please not bother them. Security understood and wished him luck in "helping the lady doctor".

Booth didn't bother to knock and instead just fished out his key and opened the door to Brennan's office. It was pitch black in there, but he could tell by the tension she was here. It was confirmed when he heard her voice. "You shouldn't have come".

"Maybe not, but I did", he explained, closing the door behind him so he and she were both plunged into the dark. "I'm worried about you Bones. I miss my partner."

"Maybe you should get a new one", he heard her say.

He stayed by the door in the dark, thinking perhaps if they couldn't see each other, couldn't see their emotions they'd be able to talk better and she'd open up to him.

"I don't want a new one. I like the one I already have. She's been pretty sad lately though. Beating herself up for something that's not her fault".

Brennan played along. "Maybe she feels like it is her fault."

"Why do you think she feels that way?"

"Because she was weak. If she had fought harder, he wouldn't have been able to abduct her. If she hadn't gone home so late, things might have been different. If she hadn't tried to be a martyr, she'd still have her dignity and self-respect. If she hadn't insisted on getting involved in cases in the first place, she wouldn't have put herself and her partner at risk."

"None of that is her fault and I think she knows that, she just needs to believe it. I don't blame her for anything that happened. Epps was a very sick individual and he is the one who did those things. Yes, we feel bad and were hurt, but it's not my fault and it's not yours." Booth tried to stop the game and deal with their issues.

He could hear her sniffles. "She's scared Booth. She's so scared she won't get through this. She's scared to be alone and she's scared she's ruined one of the best things she has in this world…you".

"She hasn't ruined anything with me. I admire her. She's so incredibly brave to have gone through what she did. She tried her best to fight what was happening. That's what I love about her. She won't go down without a fight and she didn't. I'm so proud of her and feel so guilty that she got hurt, because I couldn't help her".

"You shouldn't feel guilty. She knew she was taking a risk, but she couldn't stand to see you hurt anymore. Her heart was breaking at the torture you had to endure, just so she wouldn't have to submit to that monster and in the end it wasn't even worth your sacrifice because it happened anyway."

"She took the same risk for me that I would take for her any day. I never want to see her hurt. I wish I could take all her pain away, but I can't. All I can do is help her to deal with it if she'll let me. Do you think she'll let me in?"

It was then that Brennan clicked on a soft table light next to the couch she was currently camped out on. "I want too." he heard her say.

Booth took that as the okay to move forward. He leaned down so he was crouched in front of her. He took her shaky hands in his. "Tell me what I can do".

She let some more tears trickle from her eyes before meeting his concerned orbs.

"Make me feel safe".


End file.
